Maserati GranTurismo S

This car oozes. What does it ooze? It oozes sex appeal. It oozes sensuality that only the Italians could derive from a vehicle and it does it with an incredible amount of intimidating presence. We’ll stop with the ‘oozes’ now.

The Maserati GranTurismo S uses a 440hp 4.7 liter engine originally developed for the Alfa Romemo Competizone and an electro-actuated MC-Shift gearbox to handle the drivetrain. The gearbox is actually mounted on the rear transaxle for optimum weight distribution in the car. It purportedly allows for quicker shift time as well, but since we doubt Gear Patrol will be provided a ‘tester’ for reviewing purposes we’ll go ahead and give them the benefit of the doubt. Stopping power is provided by neck snapping Brembo six piston calipers.

Beyond the subtle body queues, gunmetal wheels, and Alcantara-trimmed interior, Maserati has done an amazing job at giving the GranTurismo menacing looks without losing the visual appeal of the ‘regular’ GranTurismo.

The Briefing

Long gone are the days when the commuter bike was an old-school mountain bike with a potpourri of parts and a rear wheel that was only roughly true. A rise in people looking to build fitness, lower their carbon footprint or simply have fun while getting around has created a big market for commuter bikes. Here are some of our favorites for 2015.